Is this Grand Seiko GMT the coolest quartz watch around right now?
Editor’s note: Well, if it’s not the coolest, it’s certainly on the shortlist. And while this green and gold LE is a particular fave of ours, any of the 9F GMT movements work well. They’re effortless, and so perfectly proportioned on the wrist. Plus, the work that goes into the quartz is so gosh-darned impressive … Quartz isn’t something that comes across my desk too often, so you know when it does that it’s something special — and this Grand Seiko is definitely something special. There’s a handful of truly exceptional, iconic quartz movements out there, and the 9F is amongst the finest. And now, with the addition of a GMT, the 9F just got that much cooler. So before we get to the watch, let’s talk about what makes the movement so special. This year, the 9F turns 25, and it is — in the best way possible — completely over the top. It’s super accurate (regular versions are within 10 seconds a year, though this specially regulated version is good to within five seconds a year), thanks to the in-house, specially aged quartz crystals to optimise the frequency, and thereby accuracy. There are numerous other smart micro-engineering features, like the…
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Editor’s note: Few brands can manage the delicate dance of design, beauty and function as deftly as A. Lange & Söhne, as their Saxonia Outsize Date, first released last year, demonstrates. Sandra tells us more … While the rules about how a man should dress for formal occasions are more relaxed than in the past, they are still governed by the principles of timelessness: elegance, discretion, refinement and restraint. Self-expression and individuality are all very well, but wearing a chunky, sporty watch with a dinner suit (or even a formal business suit) will forever remain a stylistic faux pas. And that’s as much a question of aesthetics as social convention. It follows that a dress watch should be slim, relatively small (by today’s standards), made of precious metal, and with a white, cream or black dial that – preferably – displays nothing more than the hours, minutes and seconds by way of simple indexes. If you’re at all familiar with Lange’s line-up you will have noticed that I just described its Saxonia time-only collection. When elegance is as pure as that, it’s a bit risky to add another element – especially one that is as visually strong as Lange’s signature…
Linde Werdelin is one of those brands that knows what it does, and does it well. And what they do is complex cases with numerous cutouts. It’s a strong look, and one that the brand has sensibly stayed loyal to over the years. Their latest limited edition SpidoSpeed Arktis continues the theme. The 44mm case is complex, the outer part being made from three pieces, in an aggressively modern cushion shape, with a satin finish. The dial is also somewhat openworked — finished in two tones: silver and Linde Werdelin’s signature blue. The hour and minute tracks form part of the cutouts, with printed numbers only appearing on the subdials, which are themselves distinct thanks to the cheese grater-like holes. The movement — a solid, externally supplied number dubbed the LW03 — is nicely finished, with an open rotor. And the integrated rubber strap is entirely in keeping with the offering. This 10th anniversary Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Arktis might not break new ground, but it excels in what LW has always excelled in — sophisticated, razor-sharp cases that feel good on the wrist and don’t look like every other sports chrono out there. A solid proposition. Linde Werdelin SpidoSpeed Arktis price Linde Werdelin…
Editor’s note: It’s 2019, and along with the feeling that drone-delivered pizza is imminent, many people are also experiencing some form of existential apocalyptic angst. And rather than tell you that it’s all going to be OK, we’d suggest you prepare by watching a few series of Doomsday Preppers and reading this list. We’re sure you’ll be fine. Every generation or so has its own particular flavour of apocalyptic angst. From mutually assured destruction to pandemic plagues or even rogue asteroids. Nowadays, we seem to be blessed with a profusion of options for end times, some of which are looking increasingly (and worryingly) plausible. Even if climate change doesn’t give us some entirely new coastal real estate options, Kim and Donald seem pretty intent on their game of nuclear brinksmanship. And that can only end well. So rather than focus on the bleak reality, we thought we’d engage in some lighthearted list-making while we stock up on canned goods. Oh, and for those playing at home, Viggo wore a Hamilton Jazzmaster Viewmatic in The Road. Rolex Submariner Over its long life, the Submariner has earned a stellar reputation for toughness and reliability in less than ideal situations. This dependability makes…
Editor’s note: Dress watches are one of those timepiece genres with very specific ‘rules’, and can be hard to nail. One watch that always manages to look elegant and on point in a dressy situation is the Cartier Tank. Like this Tank Louis Cartier we looked at a while back … It’s hard to overstate the importance of Cartier’s Tank. Not just in the rarefied world of watch design, but in the much broader fields of fashion and design. In a crowded scene full of pretenders, it stands out — like an enduring style icon in a room full of so-called influencers. This year the Tank celebrates its centenary, and Cartier has released a brace of new Tanks to mark the occasion, in the Française, Américaine, Cintrée and Louis Cartier collections. We’re going to look at the new steel Américaine shortly, but today we’re spending time with the most classical iteration, the large Tank Louis Cartier in pink gold. What you immediately notice about this Louis Cartier is just how little the design has changed since the Tank Louis Cartier was first introduced in 1922. Sure, little details such as the hands and Cartier text have changed, and the case construction is…
We all know James Bond, AKA 007, the suave British secret service agent who has been on missions all over the world. Throughout many of the films, he has always had a wristwatch to keep track of the time and, in some cases, help him get out of a jam. Today we take a look at the watches that have featured in the films. Dr. No – Rolex Submariner Reference 6538 Ian Fleming wrote in the original Bond novels that a Rolex was the wristwatch of 007. For the first film, Dr. No, actor Sean Connery, playing Bond, wore a Reference 6538 Submariner. It was worn not on the stainless steel bracelet but a leather strap. From Russia With Love – Rolex Submariner Reference 6538 The watch was on the wrist of 007 again in the next film, From Russia With Love, on the leather strap. Goldfinger – Rolex Submariner Reference 6538 In the opening scene of third film, Goldfinger, we get the money shot that cemented the Submariner in cinematic history. Connery lifts his tuxedo jacket to check the time, with the aid of a cigarette lighter, and the details of the watch are clearly shown. The leather strap has been…
The watch industry likes to throw the word ‘icon’ around, often with very little basis in fact. However, when talking about the TAG Heuer Monaco, that moniker is well and truly earned. The disruptive, innovative square chronograph — one of the first automatic chronos on the market — turned 50 this year. I was expecting to see some big new releases at Baselworld, but TAG Heuer held their fire, focusing instead on the revamped Autavia line. So, no big Monaco news at Baselworld. And, in retrospect, it made sense. For where better to celebrate this significant anniversary than the watch’s spiritual ground zero – the Monaco Grand Prix. TAG Heuer has announced the first of five new limited edition Monacos at the Key Largo Villa in Monaco (one for each decade, with the subsequent four to be unveiled at events around the world). This version is formally called the TAG Heuer Monaco 1969-1979 Limited Edition and I’ve got to say, from press pictures, it looks quite attractive. With a deep green face, the dial has been given an uncommon Côtes de Genève finish on the front, with subtle yellow and red highlights. The form factor appears to be the same…
Editor’s note: I’ve got a thing for beaten-up watches. It shows they’ve lived a life, and that their owners aren’t thinking primarily about resale value. They’re watches being worn in the spirit in which they’re made. And that’s a good thing. A few months ago I ended up wearing the Omega Seamaster 300 for a month or so. Now, unusually for me, this wasn’t a PR sample or anything, but an actual real watch, that I borrowed off a mate who wanted to try one of my watches on for size. Now, I’m typically hesitant to do this, as I would hate something to happen to the watch when it’s in my care. “Don’t worry,” said my mate, “I’m not precious.” Somewhat comforted by these words, I made my way to a local cafe to complete the hand-off. Several coffees and much amiable watch banter later, I walked off with the Omega Seamaster 300 Master Co-Axial (to give it its full name) buckled onto my wrist. My first impression was … jeez, he really wasn’t joking about not being precious — this watch is well-loved. Which is something I don’t get to see too much. The watches I review typically come in…
Today we are focusing on the watches owned and worn by prominent Aussie businessmen, from mining magnates to property moguls and shopping centre kings. Sir Frank Lowy AC First up we have Sir Frank Lowy AC, who co-founded the Westfield Group, which developed and owned a number of shopping centres in Australasia, Europe and the United States. Lowy frequently wears a yellow gold IWC Portugieser Chronograph, which is a classic two-register chronograph with a 40mm case. It pairs nicely with business attire. His most notable watch is his Lange 1 Daymatic from A. Lange & Söhne. This timepiece features the brand’s signature oversized date, with the addition of the day of the week indicator, and is self-winding with a power reserve of 50 hours. James Symond Next, we have James Symond, the CEO of Aussie Home Loans. He shares a love of timepieces with his uncle John Symond, who founded the company and was featured in this article regarding his love of watches. James is often spotted wearing pieces from Rolex, including a Ref 116500 Daytona with white dial, a Deepsea D-Blue, and a Patek Philippe 5960 Annual Calendar Chronograph. A lesser-known watch in his collection is the Breguet Classique Tourbillon with…
Editor’s note: There’s something about possessing something whose capabilities far exceed anything you’ll ever need them to do. I guess it’s the thought that should Dave, mild-mannered accountant in a mid-level law firm, suddenly be called upon to disarm the bomb and save the world, we know that Dave can (at least) rely on his watch. As long as his watch is one of these … Back in days of yore (AKA 2015), we rounded up nine of the biggest, baddest, most unbreakable timepieces we could find, and created the most fierce gang of watches the world had ever seen. Much like Dolph and JCVD, those guys are still the OG toughies, but in the subsequent years an entirely new generation of invincibles has risen through the ranks. So, without further ado, meet the new breed. Just don’t look them in the eye. Bremont MBII – White Most pilots watches haven’t been built to handle the stresses that come from being shot out of a moving fighter jet in 0.8 of a second. This one has. Bremont developed the MBII in partnership with ejector seat maker Martin-Baker, and last year added a white-dialled version (perfect for Iceman). Cool as it is,…